A JOURNALIST and a freelance photographer who were arrested yesterday (Feb. 12) on charges of supporting the spraying of an anti-Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or lese majeste law, message on the outside wall of the Temple of Emerald Buddha last year were ordered remanded in custody by the Criminal Court as had been requested with their lawyers applying for bail, Matichon newspaper said this afternoon (Feb. 13).
Mr. Kritsadang Nutjarat, president of Lawyers for Human Rights Centre, and Ms. Kumklao Songsomboon, a lawyer from the Centre for Human Rights, came to the court to file an objection to the detention of Mr. Nuttaphol Meksobhon, a Prachatai reporter, and Mr. Nattaphon Phanphongsanon, a freelance photographer, and apply for bail.
Arrest warrants for the two of them were issued on May 22, 2023 over the incident on March 26, 2023, whereby Mr. Sutthawee Soikham, or Bang Aern, 24, an artist from Khon Kaen, spray-painted an anarchist symbol and the number 112 on this wall of Wat Phra Kaew then crossed it out.
A 15-year-old girl at the scene was also arrested with police later saying she was wanted on lese majeste charges in connection with a demonstration held the previous year.
Nuttaphol and Natthaphon have been charged with supporting the destruction of an ancient monument under the Ancient Monument Act and face three-fourth of the penalty for this offence which is maximum seven years’ imprisonment and not more than 700,000 baht fine.
The two journalists denied the charges during interrogation and pointed out that it is the duty of the media to present the facts.
The two lawyers had filed for temporary release during investigation yesterday stating that the two media persons had not shown any tendency to escape. As the penalty for this offence is over three years, the investigators could still have granted them bail but instead applied to place them in judicial custody even though almost a year has passed since the incident occurred and the investigation should be completed.
Later at 2:46 p.m., the court ordered the detention of the two media persons with their lawyers applying for bail.
Prachatai news editor Tewarit Maneechai said the two journalists went to cover the story without knowing in advance that the activist was going to graffiti the temple’s wall, according to an AFP report published by Yahoo!News.
“They were covering the news as journalists,” Tewarit said.
Pol. Lt. Col. Phawat Wattasupat, deputy superintendent of Phra Ratchawang police station, told Reuters that police had sufficient information to support their arrests.
Tewarit said his colleagues were not aware of the charges prior to their arrest even though the warrant was issued last May.
“Their arrests created fear about news coverage of sensitive issues,” he said.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said today that the government is “fair” on freedom of the press and said it is up to the police to see what is appropriate.
“Everything depends on the law, there is no harassment,” he said.
CAPTION:
Pixelated image of the two media persons remanded in custody. Photo: Matichon
Also read: Stop creating new monsters, don’t repeat October event: Rangsiman
Thai travel industry urged to reduce usage of US$ for doing business
Panpree-Blinken hold talks on boosting strategic partnership
Chinese Coast Guard ship intimidates Filipino vessel in South China Sea
Move to reduce speed limit on 40 busy Bangkok roads to 50km per hour
